3 Of The First Steps To Take When You Want To Be A Screenwriter
The thought of writing your first script can seem overwhelming. — Here are 3 of the things that you can do right now to start your journey as a screenwriter.
- Watch a lot of movies and TV shows.
Learn as much as you can about plot, story structure, and character development. When watching TV shows, try to especially watch as many pilot episodes as you can, as the pilot usually sets the tone for the whole series because the pilot is the first episode, season 1 episode 1. If you hate the pilot and don’t want to watch any more episodes, that’s fine. However, it’s important to at least get an idea of everything that the different networks are showing, whether you like the content or not. After some time, you will really get an idea of what works and what doesn’t work for you as the viewer. The more you watch, the more you will be able to know what genres and styles you really prefer. You will then want to focus more on those preferences. For example, if you realize that you’re most drawn to everything superhero, then focus on that, become a superhero expert, and write a great superhero script.
2. Read a lot of scripts.
Most scripts can easily be found with a quick Google search. Read the scripts to many different movies/TV shows, especially your own personal favorites. Study the scripts. See how the writer tells the story on paper. Pay close attention to how they write the action and the dialogue. What is shown through the action vs. what is told through the dialogue is very important. If you’re studying TV show scripts, make sure to especially read as many different pilot episodes as possible. While reading the pilot/movie scripts, pay special attention to how the characters, storylines, and locations are first introduced on the page. Note how the writer describes everyone and everything. After you’ve read the script, watch or re-watch the movie/TV show episode. It is interesting to see the difference from what you read on the page vs. what you see on the screen. Realize that even at the highest level, the script that you write that you may be completely in love with, will probably not be the exact same as what ultimately ends up on people’s screens. As a screenwriter, you have to be flexible and agreeable to change. Most likely, the only guarantee that your script won’t be changed during the production process is if you plan on self-producing all of your scripts with all of the financing coming directly from you.
3. Familiarize Yourself With Screenwriting Software.
All scripts must be formatted correctly. The best way to make sure that your scripts visually look like the professionally written scripts that you have been reading is to utilize a screenwriting software. My favorite screenwriting softwares are Final Draft and Celtx. Both of these softwares are very easy to use, and will format scripts so that the scripts created are up to the professional industry standards. Both of these softwares cost money. However, Celtx does have a free version with access to a limited number of their features for an unlimited amount of time. Final Draft has a trial version where you can use all of their features for a limited amount of time. If you are a student with a valid student email address, you can use the free Final Draft trial for a longer time period, usually for approximately the length of a traditional school semester. Familiarize yourself with the software of your choice by reading articles online and watching YouTube tutorials. Then go to the software’s website and either download the program (Final Draft) or access it online (Celtx). Once you have access to the program, you can then learn hands on how to best utilize the program to write your script. If for some reason you don’t like the program you are working with, you can try a different one. Some of the other programs besides Final Draft and Celtx are WriterDuet, StudioBinder, Movie Magic Screenwriter, Highland, Fade In, Scrivener, KIT Scenarist, Trelby, and Page 2 Stage. Once you’re familiar with at least one of the screenwriting programs, then it’s time to start writing your first script!
